An investigation into the object grouping behaviour of young children from a low socio-economic background
Master Thesis
1985
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University of Cape Town
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Abstract
Recent studies of object grouping in infants and preschool children by Sugarman (1983) suggest that they are capable of conceptualising inter-relationships between objects - a view which differs from accounts of classification by Inhelder and Piaget (1964) and Vygotsky (1962). These studies have concentrated on Western middle-class subjects. This study investigated the development of conceptual organisation seen in the grouping of sets of objects by young children, classified as "Coloured", from a low socio-economic background. A second focus of the study was on the effect of specific task variables on object grouping behaviour. Thirty-one low income subjects divided into four age groups - 16-24, 25-30, 31-36 and 37-42 months, were given six different free sorting tasks. Each involved the presentation of a scrambled array of eight objects to be divided into two classes. In one task the objects could be classified by bi-dimensional criteria, in the others by a single criterion. Subjects' spontaneous manipulations of the objects were measured in three ways - temporal grouping, spatial grouping and grouping procedure. Verbal references to class relations were also coded. For measures of temporal and spatial grouping, frequency of consistent one- and two-class groupings and inclusiveness of constructions were noted. Grouping procedure provided a measure of whether or not both classes were simultaneously considered. An additional two tasks designed to elicit simultaneous consideration of both classes were also administered to each subject. The data was analysed for differential age and task effects on grouping. The results indicate that performance on these tasks showed the same general developmental trends and task effects as those found in recent studies of middle-class children for both unidimensional and bidimensional groupings, thus confirming Sugarman's observations and suggesting a universal process of conceptual development. However, there was some evidence of a slower rate of development and levels of verbalisation were lower than those observed in studies of middle-class children. Subjects in this study could conceptually inter-relate objects shown both in their bidimensional groupings and in mixed order grouping procedure, but the latter was evident in elicited groupings and not in spontaneous play. These differences are discussed in relation to performance variables such as response set.
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Bibliography: leaves 159-171.
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Biersteker, L. 1985. An investigation into the object grouping behaviour of young children from a low socio-economic background. University of Cape Town.